Shloka 81

Devanagari script

सौवीरा: कितवाः प्राच्या: प्रतीच्योदीच्यमालवा:

Transliteration

saṃjaya uvāca | sauvīrāḥ kitavāḥ prācyāḥ pratīcyodīcyamālavāḥ, sauvīra-kitava-prācya-pratīcya-udīcya-mālava-abhīṣāḥ śūrasenāḥ śibayaḥ vasātayaḥ śālvāśrayāḥ trigartāḥ ambaṣṭhāś ca kekayāś ca—ete sarve mahāmanasvino vīrā bāṇair ghātitā vraṇair upapīḍitā api arjunena saha yuddham ācarantaṃ bhīṣmaṃ saṅgrāmabhūmau parityaktuṃ na śekuḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya nói: “Các chiến binh của Sauvīra, Kitava, Prācya, Pratīcya, Udīcya, Mālava, Abhīṣa, Śūrasena, Śibi, Vasāti; những kẻ nương theo Śālva; cùng Trigarta, Ambaṣṭha và Kekaya—tất thảy những anh hùng cao cả ấy, dù bị tên xuyên và đau đớn vì thương tích, vẫn không thể bỏ Bhīṣma lại trên chiến địa khi ngài đang giao chiến với Arjuna.”

Word by Word

• सौवीराः: the Sauviras (people of Sauvira)
• सौवीराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौवीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कितवाः: the Kitavas
• कितवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कितव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्राच्याः: the Easterners
• प्राच्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राच्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रतीच्याः: the Westerners
• प्रतीच्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतीच्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• उदीच्याः: the Northerners
• उदीच्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदीच्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मालवाः: the Malavas
• मालवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मालव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Bhishma
• Arjuna
• Sauvira
• Kitava
• Pracya
• Praticya
• Udicya
• Malava
• Abhisha
• Shurasena
• Shibi
• Vasati (Vasataya)
• Shalva (allies/refugees of Shalva)
• Trigarta
• Ambashtha
• Kekaya
• arrows
• battlefield

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the warrior-code dimension of dharma: even when grievously wounded, allied fighters remain bound by loyalty and honor to their commander (Bhishma) and cannot bring themselves to abandon him on the battlefield. It reflects how collective duty and reputation can override personal pain and self-preservation in epic warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya lists multiple regional contingents fighting in the Kuru army. Though pierced by Arjuna’s arrows and suffering from wounds, these warriors continue the fight and are unable to leave Bhishma behind on the field while he battles on against Arjuna.